Unlock spectacular travel destinations with your Palmera Vacation Club membership.
A great location to have as your home base while visiting the White Mountains in New Hampshire, Lincoln is the second largest town by area in the state and has the most types of accommodations to choose from. A very family-friendly destination with plenty in store for outdoor adventure enthusiasts and visitors planning their stay whatever the weather or season.
Once known for having a popular logging industry brought to the area when the railroad reached the surrounding woods, Lincoln had many sawmills powered by the local rivers. When logging slowed down, tourists made it to the area for outdoor pursuits and scenic views, and kept coming back for more!
The White Mountains reach across quite a few towns, making the park easy to access and enjoy. Lincoln is only one of many stops that visitors should make in the area, as there is so much to discover.
Although Lincoln is the second-largest town in New Hampshire, that statistic is by land area only. With a population of just over 1,000 and a charming, small downtown to explore, Lincoln’s easygoing atmosphere extends from Main Street all the way into the surrounding mountainsides. The downtown area of Lincoln is also very close to North Woodstock, only expanding your options for dining, shopping, and other activities. You’ll find locally owned restaurants, cafes, and grills ranging from Italian, Thai, Mexican, and more—you can even dine inside a railcar at Café Lafayette during the winter season. Among the delicious dining opportunities, get ready to shop until you drop, as New Hampshire does not charge sales tax!
Speaking of railcars, the Hobo Railroad is family-owned and operated, and offers round-trip train rides from Hobo Junction Station in downtown Lincoln. The restored vintage coaches will take you on an easy ride along the Pemigewasset River on a rail system dating back to the late 1800s. All ages will love the scenic 15-mile trip, and children especially will love to have the chance to hop aboard the Santa Express Train.
Children will also love other attractions like Clark’s Bears. Once known as Clark’s Trading Post, this amusement park in Lincoln features additional train rides, various museums, trained bear shows, and other old-timey featured attractions like Merlin’s Mansion. Up the road a bit you’ll find Whale’s Tale Waterpark, a sprawling park with various pools, slides, and other amenities, and will quickly become the highlight of your summer vacation to the White Mountains.
The sister company to Whale’s Tale Waterpark, Alpine Adventures takes the fun to new heights with thrilling opportunities to get outdoors and have fun. The various activities and tours are scattered across the area, but you’ll find Thrillsville, the self-guided, not-so-normal ropes course that includes zip lines, treehouses, bridges, and more in downtown Lincoln. There are additional zipline tours available, as well as Side X Side off-road vehicles and Off-Road Tours on Barron Mountain.
Those wanting to explore the outdoors without all the frills and thrills are in luck: there are so many trails in and around Lincoln to choose from. Whether you’d like to explore the White Mountain National Forest, Franconia Notch State Park, or the Pemigewasset Wilderness, there’s a trail that has just the right level of difficulty and plenty of gorgeous views with your name on it! According to AllTrails, the top trails are Mount Lafayette and Franconia Ridge Trail Loop (Hard), The Flume Gorge Trail (Moderate), and the Franconia Falls Trail (Easy). Find the complete list here.
Flume Gorge is one of the most popular natural wonders in the area. Located in Franconia Notch State Park, visitors start the 2-mile loop at the visitor’s center and continue on a trail and wooden boardwalk that leads you through the iconic Flume Covered Bridge, and along the water as the natural gorge comes into view, extending 800 feet. The massive granite walls are a sight to behold, and the view at the top of Avalanche Falls is breathtaking. If you only have time to experience one trail in the region (although, we hope that’s not the case,) you may have to make it this one.
Another way to see the sights is by taking a ride on the White Mountain Express at Loon Mountain, New Hampshire’s longest gondola. Open throughout the seasons, this ride is especially pretty during the height of the fall foliage. Your gondola ticket includes access to Herbert’s Observation Tower, the Nature Walk and Amphitheater, and the Glacial Caves. A great stop to make for kids, the caves create a maze made up of giant granite boulders from the last Ice Age. The Loon Mountain Summit also features a delicious café and more activities like Disc Golf to enjoy.
During the winter, visitors to Lincoln will love the accessibility of Loon Mountain for hitting the slopes. There are a crazy number of trails and the resort has 8 lifts, making the more popular times still enjoyable. In addition to Loon, Bretton Woods and Cannon Mountain are easily reached by car and offer amazing trails and even cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Lincoln is also a gateway to the Kancamagus Scenic Highway, a 34.5-mile drive that is arguably the best way to see New Hampshire’s fall foliage. Drive directly through the White Mountain National Forest with plenty of opportunities to stop and see various overlooks and explore trails. From Lincoln to Conway, this drive climbs 3,000 ft. and is open year-round. Kancamagus, or, The Fearless One, was the grandson of a native chief and wanted peace between his tribe and the pioneers. This scenic byway was established in 1959.
It’s very hard to beat the beautiful fall foliage in the White Mountains, so it’s no wonder that a popular time for visitors to the region is from September to mid-October. Leaf peeping is usually at its best during this time, but for an updated account, use this link. The average highs in September are 69 degrees, and drop to 45 by November, so early fall is a great time for those who love to explore the great outdoors by hiking, fishing, biking, and more.
Late spring into summer is also a great time for those wanting to enjoy the natural wonders and landscape of the region, as the average highs in April are 54 degrees and rocket to 76 degrees by June. Summer in the White Mountains is normally relatively temperate, with the highest averages being 81 degrees in July and 79 degrees in August—a dream for those looking to escape brutal summer temperatures in other parts of the country.
Winter weather brings great snow conditions for avid skiers, but if you don’t like the snow—or having to drive through it—we suggest you stick to visiting from late spring to early fall. Higher elevations like Mount Washington do get weather that tends to be more severe, bringing lots of snow starting as early as late fall, as well as strong, gusty winds. As with any travel destination, check the weather before packing your bags, since Lincoln and the surrounding areas tend to get a significant amount of rainfall.
When planning your trip to the White Mountains, Lincoln is a popular town to book your accommodations in. This is due to the fact that there are more options here, and the location is perfect for everything you’d want to see and do during your vacation. Lincoln also tends to be the most affordable. To make the most out of your trip to the White Mountains, make sure to have access to a car. Find great deals on rental cars with your Quest membership.
Taking a look at what’s available to Palmera Vacation Club members on the RCI Exchange, there seem to be multiple weeks offered in Lincoln, but you’ll also find great deals for areas like North Conway, Bartlett, Center Harbor, and more. Here are a few examples we found:
